Between The Buttons

I often find that while in the midst of a good run my thoughts and the world in general are dulled-out by the motion of my body –this is essentially why I do it. I found this to be increased tenfold when racing down riverside through the strong winds on Friday while listening to “Yesterday’s Papers” and watching a leaf of newsprint dance, caught in a whirlwind fifteen meters above the road and only being able to think: “How come my fingers can’t find the button to reduce the volume?”.

Though I mightn’t have been able to grasp the aesthetic qualities of the song in that moment and come up with something clever to muse, with clarity of mind The Stone’s experimental endeavors that comprise this album (though out of tune with their rebellious and dark mystique) are nonetheless extraordinary feats of artistic accomplishment.

It seems to me now that The Stone’s first found their voice in the release of Out of Our Heads and since then each album has been wrought with some articulation of darkness or depression. The mood of this album however does not convey this at all and despite negative acclaim from critics I’d suggest it’s an album that simply missed its time. Between the Buttons thrives with a jive jazzy swing that I’d dare to liken to the Beatles later work: The White Album –although not as perfected.

“Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Rudy Tuesday” (screaming girls in this link...ridiculous...sorry) are the two tracks that topped the Billboard charts in the U.S. The former; a sexually charged tune, resounds with Jagger’s voice belting-out lyrics that resemble the soul music of Ray Charles while the backup vocals resonate with lively piano. The later; the album’s treasure, is a sweet melodic tune with a pleasing crooning recorder at its core. “She Smiled Sweetly” is a gentle ballad that encapsulates, along with “Ruby Tuesday”, “Miss Amanda Jones”, “Complicated” an outlook toward women that is entirely different than the previous album. “Cool Calm and Collected” is another ditty with a positive ring that is nearly able to hide its politically satirical lyrics through the use of distracting kazoo and show-time piano. I’m not entirely sure, but it sounds to me like this is Keith Richard’s doing lead vocals and maybe that gives it the sound I like. “All Sold Out” is pretty rocking track with an upbeat tempo. It gets better every time that I listen to it and probably should have made it into my selections.

The music scene at this time was relishing in the releases of legendary albums like The Beatle’s Revolver (which I’ve been listening to on vinyl for the last week and a half –an album that I had overlooked before), The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds (an old favorite of mine) and Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde (something I’ve yet to collect). The following are tunes from each of the aforementioned albums, in sequence: “Good Day Sunshine”, “Wouldn’t it Be Nice”, “Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35”.

Though I like this album it is evidently not a jogging album because while I listened to it running, with my fingers fumbling between buttons, watching the most aesthetic of yesterday’s papers I wasn’t able to see irony or beauty in it.